At what stage do you stop "reading" the books before your children?

I read Jane Eyre when I was about 10 and although I didn't understand it (tbh, it makes me angry now) I wasn't too disturbed by it. A lot of the words probably went over my head. I think the TV adaptation around that time got into my psyche more as it was literally in front of me. You could also try your dd on stuff like the Little Women series - again another book that puzzled me at the time.

My dd is 14 months so we are not at that stage yet....however. I was an avid reader, and I never remember my parents vetting anything I read...and I was an only child of what were pretty protective parents in most ways. I probaby gave myself the heeby jeebies a couple of times, and worried myself about a few adult things (Holocaust etc) before some of my peers, but on the whole it was a life enhancing and broadening experience. I was reading from the adult section at 12, and I wasn't conscious of my mum vetting then, but she may have taken a peek at what I was reading. TBh, she was busy with work and reading her own stack of books. From about 11/12 we used to swap books and my dad would give me his Alistair Maclean/Douglas Reeman war stories to read, and my Mum would pass on thrillers that she had finished.

A bit of a ramble, but the point is, I think you need to relax. She will get a LOT of information that you will not like from friends/tv etc. You cannot control it all and really should be proud of having such a good reader, and ready to chat to her about her books. The most I would do is try passing her books you think she would enjoy.

To challenge her reading ability, how about some old books, like Cs Lewis, or The Hobbit? None of these deal with the sex and drugs you naturally want to avoid, but are more challenging than typical books aimed at 9 year olds now. Probably a combination of children than not having TV, and older children still doing younger things.

I read the HObbit at 9, and enjoyed it.

Try Anne Of Green Gables, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, what Katy Did, some of the older Enid Blyton (the Malory Towers stuff, and some Famous Five)

You are being overanxious - I read HP Lovecraft at 10 - it gave me one sleepless night and broadened my vocabulary considerably. Not recommended, but you see my point?

If she has brought it home from guides it will be age appropriate.

Katy just stopped checking DGDs books, luckily have a BIG selection of girls books 7-12 as had 5 girls in that age bracket for ages, so bought loads of sets from The book people and read them 1st.

Was thinking about what you said: perhaps it's more of a worry with girls because they have their childhoods ripped away from them by all the pressures to get into adolescent stuff too soon.

My ds1 has always read way above his age but we haven't had a problem. I sometimes skim books that he reads.

There's a huge shelf devoted to 'Princess stories' and 'Fairy stories' in my library - next to the irritating 'Animal Ark' books. I have to resist the temptation to sweep them all into the bin since I'm sure small girls really do enjoy sacharine literature . I say girls since I've never seen any small boys pay any attention to those shelves!

Most libraries (I wish I could say all) will have someone with experience of children and young people's services picking the stock Katymac. Ideally they will break up the browsing areas into eg Picture Books, Young Readers, Older Children and Teens.

I think you can be fairly confident that your dd will not see anything hugely unsuitable in the children's section, but then again I think Goosebumps are meretricious drivel and our own excellent local library gives them shelf-room .

Trust your dd. Ds brought a Goosebumps home and I resisted heckling or confiscation. Sure enough, he concluded that it was a load of old toss very quickly.

My dd is already reading the High School musical books! I'm sure that they're really meant for 11+ children.

Katymac ...
I have never read DS's books before he does, but he is 7.

The problem I have with him is that he is an advanced reader and the stuff that is age appropriate in content doesn't really challenge his reading ability but stuff that he could get his teeth into ability wise is over his head with content.
What I have found is that if the content is too much for him and he doesn't understand it he says it is boring and won't finish it.

Have you thought of asking the librarian about what books there are that are suitable for her age? Or finding a recommended reading list from somewhere - ask the school perhaps?

I think that is what I would do.

And I read Georgette Heyer at 10 so I would let her read that - have been a fan ever since

I think my Mum stopped checking my books when I was about 11 but then I used to pick up her books and read them. I was an avid Agatha Christie reader by the age of 13 amongst other probable unsuitable books. I haven't gone around bludgening vicars to death or avoiding Hercule Poirot's questions though.

Actually Anne Frank might be OK. I know thats on the Yr 5 curriculum round here.

i never read them.

Fair enough about Guides. She's certainly a very bright girl to be reading that well, but I think you're right, those choices are a bit much for her. Has she read the Moody Judy series? I know they are pretty harmless fun? As I said, dd doesn't do reading unless she really has to! She can read perfectly well for her age and got the grades to show, but its like pulling teeth!

I'm afraid I'm not much help Katy, although DD is 12 this week, she's never been a big reader, so I've never had that problem. I don't think its unreasonable though, for you to have read some of her chosen books. She is still quite young. I think, make this latest one the last one you 'check'. Have a flick through, read the blurb on the back and make an informed decision. Thing is, if she's at Guides now, she'll start to hear things that are out of your comfort zone anyway. You can't stop it I'm afraid. How come she's started Guides already? They don't start til they're 10 at the earliest, most of them start at 10.5 or 11. Is she Yr 5 or 6?

I don't think you're being a cow, no, but I have never done this. I glance at the blurb at most. Dd is quite able to reject books herself if she thinks the content will be unsuitable- she selects JW books from the right age range on her own.

Katy, whilst I don't actually read the books that my DDs choose from the library I do have a quick "skim" through them, particularly DD1 (12.9)choice as she has always been an advance reader and seems drawn to the ones with sex, drugs etc, so I knida know where your coming from.

age appropriate section until she was about 12 I think,cos that what she was interested in.